July 2023 - WIP
Localise New Brand Language With A Iterative And Customer-Centric Mindset
The new phase of the 170-years-old brand
2023 is a transformative time for Burberry. While celebrating new-coming CCO Daniel Lee and his ambitious creative vision, Burberry is planning on reshaping all digital touch-points to unfold it’s new era to customers and the world.
New brand language
The Chanllenge
Bring the creative-driven brand language into WeChat Store while protecting regional business Untouched
In central, the new brand language was defined by Daniel Lee with his creative agency. The new brand image created a compelling sense of luxury and artistry. However, the creative-driven design approach wasn't an ideal arrangement for digital product design.
Our challenge was to evolve our WeChat Store referring to new Burberry.com while staying close to the regional customers and keeping business untouched. Burberry would offer a new image to the world, and with that strategy, we aimed to create a balanced connection between the brand and it's regional customers' habits.
The comparison of new brand language demo in (left 1&2) and Burberry WeChat Store before rebranding (left 3&4).
The Approach
3 Phase to deliver
With a hard deliver date with only a central digital products to refer to. We decided to hold our horse. Apparently, we didn't need to hurry to move big, the decision needed a customer's perspective.
The slide of 3 phase plan.
My role
Since the outset of the project in July 2023, I led the whole renovation of Burberry WeChat Store. Up until now, we are executing on the 3rd phase of this project to reach the big goals.
Customer Insights & Leadership
I initiated user research and workshops to uncover customer insights and business needs. I designed up and prepared presentations to gain buy‐in from senior stakeholders and other teams throughout the project.
Planning & Scope Definition
I defined the goals with my product owner and central UX design team. I evangelised customer goals and balanced new brand language with business goals. I prioritised and negotiated features for launch and beyond.
Design Strategy & Vision
I partnered with design lead to plan for both short-term and long-term design scopes and strategies. This helped team to stay focus and gain alignment.
Design Execution & Coordination
I designed across phases and collaborated with internal and extend teams to ensure deliery throughout the project lifecycle.
The evolution of the PDP page.
Phase 1
Prompt and direct deliverables to get quick-wins
I created a detailed design spec document for front-end developer and it also helped a thorough UAT plan. We were able to deliver this updates of WeChat Store right on time to celebrate the new Burberry together globally.
Phase 2
Leverage more brand language into user discovery journey
In this phase, our major goal is to leverage new brand inspirations into Homepage of WeChat Store. Not hard to figure, the customer habits were rather different for Chinese shopper and rest of the world. If we just follow global's guideline,
Customer-centric mindset
Customer‘s voice by comparison
We conducted user research and market research to understand WeChat customers. These are the key insights that defied the rebranding design of Homepage, and we used comparison to communicate with both global design team and regional business team to get alignment.
The culture of richness
Chinese consumers are accustomed to rich, sensory experiences and high-density information.
Product over content
While exquisite images capture their attention, it is the products of genuine interest that drive higher engagement and more clicks.
The Approach
Exposing more and keep it clean by code-free homepage
Similar to T-mall and JD, the Homepeage of Burberry WeChat Store is created by a Content Management System. Operation team could use modules, images and hotspots to build up a Mini-Programmer Page without a single code.
Before the rebranding, guide by guidelines in documentation, operation agency had more autonomy on the design to achieve their business goals, which led to cooperation issues and repeated communication. We decdied to rebrand homepage and improve the cooperation at the same time.
Demo of the CMS / Guidelines before rebranding
Issues before rebranding
Combine 2 Into 1
Use components to define new style
In order to create a new Homepage for agency to follow, I created a serial of Figma Components with guide book and work flow to guide the further cooperation.
Follow-Ups On Homepage
A good start, and it’s still day one
The results exceeded our expectations. Since the launch of the redesign of Homepage, the browsing time increased by 30%, and drop rate decreased by 10%. So we decided to further take on the success by exploring more opportunities on Homepage and expand it to other pages.
Phase 3
A long-term renovation combined by shining pieces
In this phase, our goals were much bigger, we aimed to reform PLP / PDP / Cart / Checkout pages one by one to rebrand whole WeChat finally. So we decided to not change the "looks" simple, we aimed to break this project into samll pieces along with usability improvements.
Benchmarking / Workshops / User research / Data analysis
Focusing
Prioritise new gift packaging to stay in competition with top luxury brands
Since 2022, luxury brands surged a hot race on the gifting services and related user journeys of digital stores. For Burberry, this signaled a growing customer appetite on the luxuries and exclusiveness.
Compared to top players, we weren’t able to offer bold changes in operation. However, we aimed to stay in competition by highlighting our unique selling point.
Customer Insights
Free gift packing to drive conversion rate
Through data, previous report, benchmarking, user testing, we collected insights from user and market. Exquisite and complimentary gift packaging were normal benifits for luxury customers. But in Burberry WeChat Store, we failed to communicate well with customers of this. By promoting the free gift packaging in new branding, we have a great potentail to convert potential consumers.
We don't offer a clear message and assets to showcase the packaging, customers didn't have any ideas of what they will get when they pay thousands of RMB.
Next Step
Along with other initiatives, we are keeping on working to rebrand the Burberry WeChat Store while contribute to the business value.
